w Editor’s note: This is one in a series of reviews of movies with scenes shot on Kauai or connected to Kauai.
Harrison Ford has made many great movies. “Six Days, Seven Nights” is not one of them. But as a romantic comedy not to be taken seriously, it delivers what you want — fun, action, narrow escapes, a love story and a happy ending.
Ford is joined by Anne Heche in this 1998 film directed by Ivan Reitman. In a nutshell, Ford plays a middle-aged pilot, Quinn Harris, who has seen better days but is still up for delivering folks by air where they want to go, which is how he meets Heche, who plays Robin Monroe, a journalist just engaged to her boyfriend, Frank, played by David Schwimmer.
What follows is a plane crash on an island that strands Ford and Heche. From there, you guessed, they develop a relationship despite their differences on pretty much everything, including age.
The main attraction of the film is how it showcases Kauai and even gives a bit of screen time to locals.
Among the Kauai sites shown in the movie are Kipu Kai Beach, where the plane crashes; the Napali Coast, Papa‘a Bay, Kilauea Falls, views of the Anahola Mountains and a few shots around Lihue Airport. In an amazing escape from pirates, Ford and Heche wind up on a cliff at Shipwreck’s Beach and leap into the ocean (well, their doubles did). Perhaps this is what inspires people to want to take that same plunge today.
Ford, by the way, was on Kauai for scenes of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” According to my friend Chris Cook and his book, “The New Kauai Movie Book,” Ford did many of his own stunts, rode his motorcycle and flew his own plane on Kauai. In the film he seems to have a good time, showing humor, worry, anger, hope and delight when he connects with Heche at the end (though this certainly seems like a relationship unlikely to stand the test of time).
You can’t hold this movie to a high standard, and it’s not meant to be. It’s not up for best picture. You can take it for what it is — an entertaining, enjoyable film that showcases a spark between Ford and Heche, two stars who gave it a good effort in what is really a pretty silly story. Still, it works. And the bad guys even get what’s coming to them.
If you want to borrow the DVD, I have it. Swing by our office. I found it for $1.50 at a thrift store. Money well spent.
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Bill Buley, editor-in-chief, can be reached at 245-0457 or bbuley@thegardenisland.com.
